Dangerous desires and post-queer HIV prevention: Rethinking community, incitement and intervention

HIV prevention among gay men seems to be failing. Unprotected sex between men has been rising for some time and incident infections are increasing in many Western gay communities. This paper argues that our efforts in prevention for gay men have steadily become less effective. Risk reduction strategies that formed the central plank of HIV prevention among gay men for nearly 15 years need to be re-thought and prevention seen more as social intervention focused on sexual ethics and sexual cultures. To start this rethinking, this paper seeks to (1) re-theorize the relation between social change and behaviour change; (2) re-assess gay community purposefully beyond 'queer'; and (3) re-conceive prevention education as cultural intervention and incitement. Hopefully, re-conceiving prevention in this way might lead to a renewed research agenda, focused on the social and less on the behavioural, and to renewed prevention efforts. Social Theory & Health (2009) 7, 218-240. doi:10.1057/sth.2009.1